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Arsenal handed Barcelona draw, Chelsea get PSG…again

Lionel Messi: Skips away from Diaby and Djourou in 2011

Arsenal have been drawn against holders Barcelona in the last-16 of the Champions League, while Chelsea face PSG for the third consecutive season.

Manchester City meanwhile, have been drawn against Dynamo Kiev in a tie for which the game in Ukraine must be played behind closed doors.

Roma versus Real Madrid and Juventus, last year’s beaten finalists, against Bayern Munich are two of the standout matches in the draw.

The winners of each group, including Chelsea and Man City, are at home in the second legs, while Arsenal will host their first leg.

Barcelona v Arsenal is a repeat of the 2006 final, which the Spanish champions won 2-1, while the last meeting between the two sides in the competition was in 2011 when the Catalan giants progressed 4-3 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals.

The Gunners, who reached the last 16 with a memorable victory at Olympiacos in their final group game, knew they could have faced Barca or 10-times winners Real Madrid.

Their task will be a daunting one and Barca, having beaten Manchester City at this stage for the last two seasons, are clear favourites.

PSG, who are 17 points clear at the top of the French league, beat Chelsea on away goals at this stage last season, while the Blues beat them on the same rule in the quarter-finals the previous year.

Man City will be pleased to have avoided the dangerous PSG as they bid to reach the quarter-finals for the first time but their fans may be frustrated about the Kiev situation.

The Ukrainian club were ordered to play two games behind closed doors last month as punishment for offences that included racial abuse of players by supporters during their group game against Chelsea.

City fans already boo the Champions League anthem in protest against UEFA, chiefly because their fans were not allowed to travel to a game at CSKA Moscow last season. That situation was slightly different, however, as some fans had already made visa, travel and accommodation arrangements before the ruling was made.

Kiev beat City in the 2010-11 Europa League last 16, with Mario Balotelli sent off for the English side.

The draw for the quarter-finals will be held on 18 March with the semi-final line-up drawn on 15 April.